Ontario

Volunteers invited to help fight invasive species in province-wide effort

Conservation groups are banding together across Ontario to monitor and control some of our nastiest invasive alien species. The effort is timed to bring attention to International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22, sanctioned by the United Nations. This year's focus is invasive species, which are second only to habitat loss as a threat to biodiversity.

"World Biodiversity Day provides an opportunity for individuals and groups to get engaged locally on this global issue," says Francine MacDonald, Invasive Species Biologist and O.F.A.H. Manager of the provincial Invading Species Awareness Program. "Invasive species out compete native plants and wildlife, and can even take over entire landscapes. Monitoring can be effective in identifying these invaders early, giving us the chance to prevent their spread into new areas."